Homelessness down second consecutive year, according to January head count

March 20, 2014 - Bruce Spaniel has been homeless for roughly eight years since losing his construction job in 2006. He currently squats in an abandoned Midtown building to escape the elements and panhandles to meet his basic needs. According to figures released by the Community Alliance for the Homeless, there are 10% fewer homeless on the streets of Memphis. The numbers are from a one-day count in January on a day when temperatures hovered in the high teens and low twenties. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)

Homelessness is down in Memphis and Shelby County for the second year in row, according a one-day federally-requested head count taken in January every year.

The Community Alliance for the Homeless, mayors A C Wharton and Mark Luttrell said during a Thursday news conference at Estival Communities near Downtown that the steady decline is attributed to more than 40 nonprofit organizations in the county combating the problem and providing permanent housing.

"It happened because of real people," Wharton said. "It didn't happen simply because government gave up some money."

In 2012, the group's count was 2,076. It fell to 1,816 in 2013 and to 1,636 this year.

Katie Kitchin, executive director of Community Alliance, acknowledged the figures aren't exact because of survey rules and it being just one day. But "it's comparing apples to apples" and at least reveals a dependable trend, she said.

"It may not feel like it (a decrease) if you are one of the emergency providers and you have a steady stream of people coming in," Kitchin said. "But you ought to notice you have more beds available. You don't have people occupying them as long."

The statistics show the number of homeless families has declined 30 percent in the past two years, chronic homelessness is down nearly 40 percent and homelessness of veterans is down 33 percent. The Community Alliance said the majority of homeless people are single individuals who aren't homeless long-term.

Wharton said his goal is to end homelessness in the city, not just report declines.

To do so, Kitchin said the nonprofits have focused on finding permanent housing for homeless residents. One successful location is Estival Communities, duplexes for homeless mothers at risk of being forcefully separated from their children.